State ranks Burnet CISD superior for finances
Business Manager Preston Ingram discussed the TEA “Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas” survey during the BCISD board meeting Nov. 17.
Other matters that came before the trustees included work on fences at the baseball/softball complex, banking matters, recognition for Gold Performance schools and lauding the students of the month.
BCISD recorded 83 out of a possible 85 score on the agency survey, which was based on district responses to 24 test indicators, Ingram said, adding 55 is considered a passing score.
Altogether, TEA rates more than 900 districts as superior on the survey, Ingram added.
“There are 100 school districts that rank below us,” Ingram said.
Although BCISD spends between 57 and 62 percent (between $15 and $16.2 million) of its revenue each year on approved functions and objectives, TEA has established 65 percent as the desired percentage of expenditure, Ingram noted.
“That (65 percent) is not possible for Burnet,” Ingram said, because of the high percent of revenue the district must spend to support other student needs, such as transportation and food services.
“We’re still comfortably in the superior rating category,” Ingram added.
Also during the meeting, Ingram told the board low interest rates have prompted the district to shift its investment strategy away from purchasing securities on the open market.
Instead of relying on securities that are currently paying “around 2 percent,” the district is leaning toward other investments, and negotiations are under way between the district and Wells Fargo Bank for the purchase of a certificate of deposit, Ingram said.
“The banks are able to pay more,” Ingram said.
In other business, Facilities Director Kyle Powell said work on fences at the new Burnet High School baseball/softball complex “is about 85 percent complete,” and the lighting, drainage and irrigation work at the site is almost finished as well.
Also during the meeting, the board commended the Burnet High School Esprit de Corps for finishing among the top seven high school bands that recently competed in the state marching contest in San Antonio.
“They were No.1 on my program, I don’t know what was wrong with those judges (at the contest),” Superintendent Jeff Hanks quipped.
Also, the board praised Burnet High School and Burnet, Bertram and Shady Grove elementary schools for recently earning the TEA Gold Performance Acknowledgement award for reading and English language arts, as well as R.J. Richey Elementary School for science.
Amid much applause by the board and family members, Andrea Clendennen and Aaron Doucet were recognized as the Burnet High School Students of the Month.
The next board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Dec. 15 in the Burnet High School library.
raymond@thepicayune.com